Category: Other Acts

Born in Whangarei, Helen Webby began playing the harp as a teenager, travelling to Auckland for lessons with composer/harpist Dorothea Franchi. In 1989 she completed a Bachelor of Music in performance at the University of Auckland with tutor Rebecca Harris. Postgraduate study followed with Edward Witsenburg at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, Holland, and with Maria Graf at the Hochschule for Music in Hamburg, Germany, where Helen graduated in 1996 with a Masters degree in Harp and Music Teaching.

During her studies in Europe Helen won numerous awards, including the DAAD Scholarship (German Academic Exchange Service), the Dutch Government Scholarship, the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Grant and the Alex Lindsay Memorial Trust Prize (NZSO). In 1990 she performed at the IV World Harp Congress in Paris, and was a prizewinner in the International Carolan Harp Competition in Ireland (celtic harp). While based in Germany, Helen played throughout Europe as a chamber and orchestral musician. Concert highlights include performing in the Philharmonie Berlin with the contemporary music ensemble Work in Progress Berlin, and at the Schleswig Holstein Festival with her German chamber music Ensemble Obligat.

In the orchestral field, Helen performed with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra and other opera orchestras in northern Germany, including Phantom of the Opera Hamburg. In 1996 she appeared as Acting Principal Harp of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and in 2000 returned to New Zealand to take up the position of Principal Harp with the Christchurch Symphony.

Helen’s solo recitals and concerto performances with the Christchurch Symphony have been warmly received, the critics describing her as “intensely musical, stylish and absorbing”. She is an enthusiastic and active chamber musician and toured the length of the country in 1999 for Chamber Music New Zealand with the Giverny Trio (Flute, Viola, Harp). CD recordings include a disc with her German ensemble Obligat (Flute, Harp and String Trio) featuring works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Schubert and Debussy.

In addition to this Helen is a dedicated and inspirational teacher in and around Christchurch.

The Starlets are more than your standard sing and stand act.

Our passion for performing and our true love of entertaining sets us apart.

The Starlets can tailor their song selection and performance to perfectly suit what you have envisioned for your Event.

Entertainment Themes

• The best of the Roaring 20’s and 30’s Flappers,
• Swing, Jazz and Cabaret
• 1940’s, Wartime Classics WWII,
• Hits of the Andrews Sisters
• 50s to 80s Dance Band Hits
• Vintage Swing  Show Sets or Dance Band

The choice is yours!

DnD Showband performing Grease!

DnD Showband are the masters of tribute and theme sets and are a regular act on the chartered club circuit across New Zealand.

Current tribute theme catalogue consists of ABBA, Grease 50s, Super 60s, Fleetwood Mac, Disco Inferno, Rock Vixens, Rocky Horror, Moulin Rouge.
Sets can be mixed and matched and featured alongside mixed material live band sets.
Eager to work on new themes to suit a particular event.

LINE-UP:
Six performers plus sound engineer.
Jo-Anne Davern (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Gina Gilbreath (vocals, keyboards); Mel Lawson (vocals, percussion); Ben Harvey (vocals, lead guitar); Grant McPhie (bass, keyboards); Mark Newburn (vocals, drums).

Live instruments are minimally supplemented with high quality midi backing tracks for tribute theme sets.

Graham Wardrop is regarded by many to be New Zealand’s finest finger-style guitarist, singer-songwriter. Playing concerts internationally, has worked extensively in Australia, Asia, Canada, Papua New Guinea and occasionally Europe. He has worked alongside and opened shows for some of the planets most highly regarded guitarists and bands – Tommy Emmanuel, Martin Taylor, Leo Kottke, Manhattan Transfer, Michael Crawford, Vanessa May. Although still based in Christchurch, since the earthquakes Graham has been working more frequently out of town and overseas. On his recent, seventh, Canadian tour – British Columbia and Alberta – he, along with JUNO Award winner and recipient of the Order of Canada, Valdy, played to sold out houses, receiving standing ovations and encores on a nightly basis. Graham was awarded a New Zealand Star award in 2010.